Class D is just Dandy!


I thought it was time we had a pro- Class D thread. There's plenty of threads about comparisons, or detractors of Class D.

That's fine, you don't have to like Class D amps, and if you don't please go participate on one of those threads.

For those of us who are very happy and excited about having musical, capable amps that we can afford to keep on 24/7 and don't require large spaces to put them in, this thread is for you.

Please share your experiences with class D amps!
erik_squires
Noble, thanks for that well thought out clarification.

My ears tell me the latest and greatest Class D sounds great, absolute top notch sounding when done right, top to bottom, can compete and often win with most anything else, at least in its price range.

My technical self tells me that the technology is still not yet fully mature, has not yet peaked, and that it will continue to only get better, at least on paper and in tests. To what extent that matters practically listening to music  right now is another question. Just like the old is CD resolution good enough question.

Practically, it has not mattered enough to stop me from being squarely in the Class D camp for several years now, starting with when I acquired the Bel Canto ref1000m amps in my main system several years back and more recently when I gave the BEl Canto c5i a crack in my second system, thereby avoiding taking an experimental plunge into tube amps and the speakers needed to make those sound best.
"I don't know why people have to defend or overly praise Class D compared to other amplifier topologies when the end result is if you like it then keep listening." - @sfseay
Those defenses, explainations, and informed opinions are what helped motivate me to explore and eventually buy a class D. We don't all come to the forums from the same level of expertise or knowledge.
"I don't know why people have to defend or overly praise Class D compared to other amplifier topologies when the end result is if you like it then keep listening. - @sfseay
Those defenses, explainations, and informed opinions are what helped motivate me to explore and eventually buy a class D. We don't all come to the forums from the same level of expertise or knowledge. @2channel8 - Class D vary wildly in quality.  To paint with a broad brush and heap praise on Class D amps is silly.  There are plenty of bad Class D amps, but you seem to put all of them in the same category."

I have broad experience with several different Class D amps, and I listed the specific Class D amps I have owned and used.  Having said that, I wouldn't lump them all together as quality amplifiers.

What Class D amp are you currently using?
Mapman,
     Your last post was an excellent summary of the current state and future possibilities of class D amps.  I agree with all of it.

" I don't know why people have to defend or overly praise Class D compared to other amplifier topologies when the end result is if you like it then keep listening."

Hi sfseay,
     While I generally agree with you, I think many readers of these class D threads are considering trying one of these amps for the first time and base their decisions largely on the impressions of people like us who already have experience using them in our systems.

     I know I was reading class D threads for this purpose when I first began considering trying a class D amp about 5 years ago.  
     But that was an earlier time in class D's evolution and, as I recall, there was a more even balance between praisers and detractors at that time.  If I'm not mistake, I believe mapman was one of the early adopters praising class D but there were also many claiming class D would never be a good choice for anything other than a sub amp.
    I finally just decided to try one and decide for myself how the current good examples of this technology performed in my stem.  I thought it'd be more useful to start developing my own experience with class D amps than to rely on others' impressions.  I was thinking just as you stated: If I liked it then I'd keep listening.  
     Perhaps what you consider irritating and excessive praising of class D is just considered useful positive feedback to some still considering whether to try one of these amps in their systems.

Tim